Territory



(No Model.)

J; M. BROWNING.

GAS OPERATED FIREARNL No. 544,661. Patented Aug. 20,1895.

@NiTEQD STATES PATENT FFiCIgE.

GAS-OPERATED FIREARM.

srfscrs'rcerrozvrormm pert .f' we. i'stent- No. 644,651, dated August 20, 1895.

Application filed December 8, 1894. Serial No. 531,171- (ll'o model.)

To aZlwhom it may concerjn:

Be itknown that I, JOHN M. BROWNING, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of ()gden, in the count-yet Weber-and Territory oi Utah, have invented certain new and uset'ul Improvements in Machine-Guns, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying-drawings, forming part hereof.

This invention relates to that class of firearms iuevhich mechanism is arranged to be operated automatically by means of gases produced by the explosion or discharge of the arm, and particularly to firearms of this class in which the gas is brought to bear uponthe mechanism in rear of the muzzle and so that the initialforce occurs before the bullet escapes from the barrel, the objects of the in rentiou being to avoid the f uling and clog ging of the mechanism by t to gases, aud1.to prevent the escape of the gases until after the ever shall have commenced its opening movement and received itsinitial force, and to prevent the lateral spread of the gases, and to.

generally improve and simplify the construction of the gasoperated mechanism.

My invention is embodied in the construction hereinafter described, and is particularly.

recited in the claims.

The accompanyingdrawings illustrate embodiments of my invention in a shoulder arm or riiie.-

Figure 1 is a side View of the rifle with the mechanism in the closed position. FigRZisa similar view with the mechanism in the open position. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section,en-

'isrged, of a. portion of the barrel with the plane of section cutting through the nipple gas-operated lever. Fig. 4 is an underneath plan view or" the gas-operated lever and adjact 5 parts. Figs. 5 and 6 are longitudi s we similar to Fig. 3, but showing modifications in construction.

In illustrating the invention 1 show it as applied to a shoulder arm or rifle, in which A represents the frame containing the breech mechanism and 15 represents the barrel attached to the frame. The breech mechanism of the arm maybe of-anyknown construction whereby a forward and backward or vibra-- ing movement of some part of the mechanism wt! produce the opening and closing of the breech-piece, and so that such opening ot the breech-piece will force the hammer to the fully-cocked position,withdrew the exploded shell'frorn the barrel, and present a.- new car"- tridge for introduction into the barrel, and

so that as he breech-Piece advances the-car tridge so presented will be forced. into the barrel and the hammer released; or a mechanism may be employed adapted to perform successively and continuously a less number of operations than those above mentioned. As here represented, the breech mechanism (which mechanism isnot partioularly'showu,

as any known-form may be employed) is opereted through a. lever O, which lever is con- 'nected with a mechanism, so that a forward movement of the lever will produce the open ing movement of the-breech mechanism and the return movement of the lever will. bring the parts to the closed position.

Through the barrel, preferably upon the under side and inrear of the muzzle, an apcrture D is formed through which gasespro' duced byexplosion may escape from the bore of the barrel. This'aperture is made through anipple E, introduced into the underside of the barrel or which may be in one piece therewith, so that the nipple projects fromthe barrel, and the nipple'is of slightly tapering form or cylindrical or of other suitable shape, the

tapering form embodying myentire invention,

sothat the lover in opening may swingdownward and forward from the nipple, froiiilthe position shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2." To lever F a. red I is pivoted, which rod extends rearward to connect the lever F with the lever C or breech mechanism of thegun,

and so that as the lever swings downward and forward, as from the position shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2, it will draw the rod I forward and will correspondingly turn the lever C, and. this movement will produce the openiigkg mover. outs of the other parts of the breech of the breech and the corresponding as shown in Fig. 3, the nipple \villbe inclosed' by the recess J of the lever and so that the nipple and the aperture are normally covered, but upon the explosion in the barrel, and atter the bullet has passed forward of the apermre D, the gas will escapethrough the aperture D into the recess in the lever and will bring its force to bear upon the bottom of that recess and so as to produce the downward and forward swinging movement of the lever F.

The construction of the lever F with the recess surrounding the nipple prevents to a very considerable extent the escape of gases between the aperture and lever until after the lever shall have commenced its opening movement and received its initial force, for were there no such protecting recess between the aperture and the lever the gases would escape laterally between the aperture and the lever, and thereby a considerable portion of the initial force would be lost, and, further, the gases so escaping would be in the form of a flame which would be objectionable, if not dangerous; but by protecting the apparatus by the recess between the aperture and the lever the gases are confined to their initial operation, so that such an escape is prevented, and after the lever starts the gases will then follow the lever and without the lateral spread of the gases which would otherwise occur.

The force of the gasesis brought to bear only in producing the opening movement.

The return of the lever may be produced bymechan'ical means and after the gases have ceased to act. To accomplish this result .a spring is provided, which will be compressed in the opening movement of the lever, so that the reactive force of said spring will be sutficient to return the lever and the mechanism of the arm to the closed position. As hero represented, the spring K is of spiral or helical form and is arranged around the red I, one end of the spring bearing against a shoulder L on the rod I and the other end of the spring bearing against a loop or shoulder M, which loop or shoulder is made fast to the barrel or frame, and, as here represented, is at the end of the rod N, which rod is hung to the frame at the rear, and so that the rod N will yield upward and downward to accommodate-itself to the swinging movement of the .rodgI. Normally, the spring K is extended as shown in Fig. 1; but as the lever F is thrown forward and the rod correspondingly drawn forward, the spring is compressed between the shoulder Lon the rod I and the loop M on the rod N, and so that, as soon as the torce ot the gases upon the lever F is exhausted or neutralized, the spring reacts and returns the lever, together with the breech meohanism of the ar m,to the closed position. A step should be provided to arrest the lever when it has swung as far from the nipple as is required toproduce the opening movement of the I breech mechanism of the arm. .As here represented, this stop is in the form of a stud O on the back of theiever F, which will strike the barrel when that extreme open position is reached,as shown in Fig. 2, and by varying the length or position of this stop Q the time of arrest in the mov'ementof the lever'l? may be adjusted. The magazine P is here i'epre-' scnted as adapted to he attached'lto the frame 1 and extending upward therefrom so as to contain a column of cartridges to be automatioally supplied to the arm. The upper part of this magazine is broken awayin thedrawings,

This is a common and well-known magazine, for which any other suitahlemagazine or feed device may besubstitnted. It will be under stood that the lever will be hung forward or rearward of the aperture, accordingly as the active movement'required for the opening and closing of the breech mechanism is forwardor backward.

In some cases it may be desirable to bring the force of the gases to bear upon a longitndinalslid'e instead of upon a swinging lever. This may be done, as shown in Fig. 5,.

by turning the nipple accordingly and forming the recess in the arm or slide upon whichthe gases-are brought to bear, and so that the movement may be in a longitudinal line either .iorward or backward, asthe ease-may be; or-

the nipple may be directed forward or backward onto a swinging lever, broken lines indicating such a lever in Fig. 5.

l/Vhile the construction with 'a nipple in the barrel and corresponding recess in the mov-.

ing partembodies my entire invention, this order may be reversed in a. construction broadly embodying my invention, as'shown in Fig. 6, and the recess may beforincd in the barrel around the aperture and the lever or moving part constructed with a projection "to enter said recess. It will be observed that in this-construction there is the same protection between the moving part and the aperture at the initial action of the gases on such moving part.

In order toprovide'against'lo'ngitudinalexpansion and contraction of the barrel from the heat produced in tiri'ng, it is'desi-rable to make the nipple or projection tapering and the recess correspondinglytapering, so as to insure the unobstructed return of the'moving part, and to accommodate the lever or moving part to such incidental expansion or contraction the recess portion of the lever may be made separate from and movable upon the body of the lever, as particularly shown in Fig. 3, the lever being constructed with a slot aand the recess portion constructed with a shank b, which-shank extends through the slot and through a collar (1 on the reverse side ot t lover, and the shank is riveted down over the collar, or otherwise secured, so that the recess portion E or the lever will be held by frictional contact and will not change its position in ordinary working, but yet so that under the force resulting from expansion or contraction applied longitudinally of the lever the recess portion may slide upon the lever; and variations of the length of the barrel would produce such sliding of the re? cess. portion by reason of the tapering shape of the nipple and of the recess, the nipple but may be departed from in structures broadly embodying" my invention.

It is, of course, evident that various m0difications may be made of the construction above described within my invention, and -I do not, therefore, limit myself to the specific construction above described and shown in the drawings.

What 1 claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pater: t, is- 7 In a fire-arm, the barrel constructed with aperture from the inside outward, and in ear of tbeniuzzle, combined with a moving part adapted to cover said aperture, the bar rel around said aperture and the said moving part being constructed, the one with a projection and the other with a corresponding rewhereby in the ,normal condition the said projection will'be substantially inclosed by the said recess, but so that the said protion and recess will wholly separate as the said moving part is thrown from said apertnrc, under the action of the gases of explosion with mechanism between said moving part and the breech mechanism of the gun whereby the opening movement of the said moving part will produce the opening movemen; of the breech mechanism, and a spring adaptcd to be operated by such opening |no\-'emcnt,nnd whereby the reaction of the said spring willrcturn the parts to the normal position, substantially as set forth.

3.. in an automatic fire-arm, the barrel consirnctcd with an aperture from the inside outward and in rear of the'muzzle, combined with "a lever arranged to swing toward and from and-adapted to cover the said aperture,

the barrel around said aperture and the said 60 moving part constructed, the one with a projection, and the other with. a corresponding recess, adapted to stand one within the other when in the closed position, and the said projection or recess, as the case may be, made longitudinally adjustable on the said lover, with mechanism between the said lever and the breech mechanism of 'the gun, whereby the opening movement of thesard lever under the action of the gases of explosion ,will produce the opening movement of the breech mechanism, and a spring adapted to be operated by such opening movement, and whereby the action of said spring will return the parts to the normal position, substantially as set forth.

3. In a. tire arm, the barrel constructed with an aperture in rear of the muzzle combined with a moving part adapted to cover said an erture, the barrel around said aperture and the said moving part constructed the one with a projection and the other with a corresponding recess, whereby in. the normal con- 'dition the said projection will be substan-v tially in'closed by said recess butso that said projection and recess will separate as the said -by said moving part actuates the breech mechanism, substantially as set forth.

4. In an automatic fire-arm,the barrel constructed with an outwardly projecting taperi'ng nipple and an aperture through said nipple, combined with a lever hung to the barrel and so as to swing toward and from said nipple, the lever constructed with a recess adapted to inclose said nipple when the parts are in closed position, said recess being longitudinally sclt' adjusting on said lever under the effects of expansion and contraction of the barrel, with mechanism between said lever and the breech mechanism of the gun whereby the opening moveme of said lever under the action of the gases of explosion will produce the opening movement of said breech mechanism, and a spring adapted to be operated by such opening movement and whereby the reaction 0t said spring will return the parts to the ,normal position. substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 1st day of December,-A. D. 1894.

JOHN M. BROWNING. In presence of- M. J. HALL, JOHN E. RAMSDEN. 

